4th Baby Bumpdate: 33 Weeks
As I stared at those two pink positive lines just a few months ago, never in a thousand years did I expect to be delivering my baby in the midst of a global pandemic! So much has changed so quickly. It is the strangest reality.
Hospital policies across the country seem to change day to day. I was told at my last appointment nearly two weeks ago that, yes, my husband can be present in the hospital for the birth of our baby. Whew! However, if I test positive for Covid-19 at the time of delivery, there's a good chance I will be separated from my infant. Holy cow, that would be traumatic for us both, I think! The virus is definitely in our community. So the current plan for me is to wait until I'm 36 weeks for my next appointment and to observe social distancing guidelines until I deliver. That includes the whole family, unfortunately, because whatever illness the kids contract, so do I!
I am crossing my fingers, hoping that this pandemic will be on the downhill slide by May and the world around us will be normalizing. Is that too optimistic of me? I sure hope it's realistic. For the sake of the economy and people's livelihoods, we need it.
So say a silent little prayer for me and for every other woman who is delivering a baby into a world with what feels like an unknown future, will you? I know everything will be okay, one way or another, but it's still a little scary.
I was texting another pregnant friend not long ago and she feels as I do. These 2020 babies being born are a special bunch. I'm not quite sure yet what their unique missions on earth will be, but I have a feeling they will be capable of doing some extraordinary things. I can't help thinking how the timing of this pregnancy was just meant to be. We tried for a year without any luck. Then BOOM, I hop off my birth control for one month and I get pregnant immediately. It was kind of a personal miracle. Coincidences like that don't just happen, do they? At least I don't think so. I like to attribute them to a loving Heavenly Father.
So here I am, prayerfully asking for a smooth and safe delivery and to bring home a healthy baby boy.
Let's hop to the questionnaire!
How Far Along: 33 weeks and a few days
Size of Baby: About 16.5 inches long and 5 pounds heavy on average. But c'mon, we know my babies are anything but average. He's probably 18.5 inches and 7 pounds by now... maybe.
Stretch Marks: Yes! No new ones to report, thankfully, but I do have that linea nigra stretching from the top to the bottom of my belly now.
Weight Gain and Food Cravings: I am officially heavier than I have ever been in my entire life! I am trying to give myself some grace though. I am 35 years old and pregnant during a pandemic with my 4th child. The pandemic part is totally significant because we've been baking up a storm here at home, from muffins to brownies (Jed made his own batch for breakfast one morning) to cookies to cupcakes. It's been a delicious month of quarantine.
Maternity Clothes: Poor Bron. His laundry pile is much higher than mine each week; I've been wearing his t-shirts on a regular rotation.
Sleep: Except for getting up at least twice each night to use the bathroom, I can sleep like a rock. Other nights I seem to sleep lightly. Strange hormones. My hips sometimes hurt and are slowly making sleep more uncomfortable too.
Symptoms: The Coronavirus pandemic has offered a thorough distraction from pregnancy. The days of homeschooling and entertaining 3 boys with nowhere to go are excruciatingly long! I'm too busy answering questions, fixing problems, refereeing, feeding bottomless stomachs, and bossing little boys around to even think about pregnancy very much. In fact, except for the nausea in the beginning, I feel like this pregnancy has been a lot easier on my body than my last. But maybe I'm speaking too soon? I know pregnancy is going to hit me like a truck in just a week or two.
The left lower side of my back quit hurting. Cool! No more pinched nerve. But perhaps it'll return?
Some afternoons I cannot stand to keep my eyes open. I NEED a nap! Other afternoons, however, I'm rocking and rolling with the kids.
Occasional bouts of nausea. There's no rhyme or reason.
It is totally getting harder to breathe. Some days are worse than others and I have to sit down for a few minutes between activities/chores.
I wish I could bend over to pick up junk from off the floor. Instead, I find myself asking Jed or Levi to do it most often. "Please pick up the trash over there," I command. "Can you hand me that?" I ask.
It's getting more painful to be on my feet. Not only does the blood and pressure pool in my crotch, but my lower back starts to ache too. Trying to bend over the sink to wash dishes is the worst! It just makes everything hurt.
My ankles sometimes look swollen. But they're easier to shave!
Braxton hicks are a regular part of my every day. They can feel quite uncomfortable sometimes!
Movement: My favorite part upon waking each morning is rubbing my belly and feeling the baby move. It's this little blessing that I get to feel happy about all day long. I love pressing on his little foot or knee or butt and feeling him move. Sometimes my stomach looks lopsided as he pushes some appendage to one side! Haha.
Nesting: I still need to wash Baby Boy's clothes and blankets, buy diapers and wipes and toiletries, and pick up a car seat and crib mattress. Maybe next month? Actually, I'm kind of dying to wash and fold those tiny clothes! That action alone will ramp up my anticipation. I've got to get Bron to grab those totes from the attic for me.
Favorite Moments this Month:
When Conrad exclaimed, "Dad! You're wearing Mama's shirt!" Lol.
Conrad trying to put on his flip flops, "Ugh. My back hurts. I can't bend over, Mama!" He is a parrot and listens to every word I say, apparently.
My neighbor, Lisa, asked if she could pick anything up from Costco for me. I told her some Zipfizz would be nice. (Some vitamin C + and caffeine go a long way right now.) When I arrived home from a meeting with our builder about the new house, there was not only Zipfizz on the table, but a big box of baby wipes as well! That small act of kindness made me smile and tear up. As crazy as this world is right now, I am surrounded by some of the best people.
What I'm Looking Forward to: Bringing this baby home, bending over, and getting my energy back!
^^Per true quarantine style, no makeup! Keeping it real here.^^
And a few more photos from a morning here at home last week at 32 weeks. It's not the most flattering dress, but it sure is comfy... especially with wool socks! We call it my Granny outfit.
^^A little dandelion one of the boys surprised me with.^^
You look beautiful! I love the yellow! And I would love to send you some diapers--will you PM me your address (maybe through Facebook?), and I'll send you some? My mom has been spoiling us for months and months now by getting us diapers every time she's at the store, so we haven't had to buy any in a really long time. I'd love to pay forward the favor!
ReplyDeleteIt's got to be such a weird time right now to be pregnant---so glad you're staying busy and that everything is looking good!